Bloom Where You're Planted

I love this picture. I actually found it awhile back, and it gave me the idea to write a post like this. To me, it shows that even in the driest places, life can still bloom. Sometimes we can be in a dry place in our lives, just like this picture, and it seems like nothing is happening. Have you ever been in a place like that? I know I have. Often we can find ourselves getting impatient while waiting for changes to come, and we wonder how God can use us where we are now. Some people find themselves wanting to change jobs, homes, etc. when they find themselves in the dry times of life, but often God wants us to stay just where we are.

As I'm writing this (it's not at 5 a.m. like it says!), I can hear my son crying because he doesn't want to take a bath, and my daughter is also crying because my husband put her down on the floor. I am in a season of my life that can be filled with chaos. Sometimes it's good chaos, if that makes sense, but other times I feel as though I'm not doing anything that makes any sort of difference in the world. My husband is very busy with church activities and work, and the more he's involved in - the more I need to stay home with the kids. I have really started to find my "niche" in our church, and now it has become increasingly difficult for both of us to be involved in activities at the same time. God reminded me that my main ministry right now is raising my children! I need to bloom where I'm planted, as they say, and use what God has given me right here at home.

Do you feel like you're in a place where God can't use you? He knows exactly where you're at, and he has gifted you to minister to others right where you are. Maybe all of it is behind the scenes, and no one else will ever know - but God has gifted you to bloom where you are right now!

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms" (1 Pet. 4:10).

The verse above does not say "Each one should use whatever gift he has received (when he finally gets out of the place he's in now and into a better job, when he feels more equipped to share his faith, etc...." God wants us to use our gifts now! If you don't know how you can use the gifts that God has given you now, I encourage you to ask God about it. He will definitely tell you, because it's His will that you use your gifts to minister in some capacity. The way you use your gifts now may be different than how you use them 10 years from now. One thing is for sure, though, is that God has made a way for you to use them now. This is not something you need to wait for. He has given us all spiritual gifts for now - not when we think we're in a better situation to use them.

"From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work (Ephesians 4:16)".

Jesus, I thank you for the knowledge that you have called me NOW. You have not called me only in the future when my life is not so chaotic. You have called me now. Please keep reminding me of this and show me new ways that I can minister to others right where I am today. You have not called me to get a new job, spouse, house, etc. when everything seems cold and dry. You have called me to bloom where I am planted, and I thank you for giving me that revelation. You are my Rock, as always.

Seek First the Kingdom of God...

Wow, what a long break it's been from writing on my blog! I'm going to take the next few posts to tell you so many things that are on my heart.  I'm so glad to be writing again, and thanks for coming back!

January was such a different month, but it was so worth all of the changes that took place.  Our church participated in the Daniel Fast from Jan 3rd - 23rd.  This is a fast that includes eating only fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds.  It was really difficult at first, but I actually got used to it after the first week. That's incredible for me, considering I was practically addicted to sugar.  (Ok...more than practically!) I actually haven't had any sugar since then, and I don't even crave it anymore.  That's amazing.  For those of you who know me, you know just how amazing that is!

The last time I fasted, I had such great revelations from God, so I was expecting the same thing this time around.  This fast turned out completely different, though.  I had my list of things that I wanted God to speak to me about, and I focused on them daily.  It seemed like almost every day was met with struggle, feelings of condemnation, less time to spend with God than usual, and many other struggles.  I felt so frustrated, because I wanted to hear from God, and all I was doing was feeling angry all the time.  God WAS doing something though; I just didn't see it at the time.  When I would find myself extremely frustrated and ready to give up on the fast, I found myself getting online (when that was one of the things that I gave up for the fast), and I wasted time away by just clicking on "this and that" to pass the time and numb my heart.

Hmmm.....

So it took me until after my fast was over to realize that I tend to use the internet to numb my feelings when I've had enough of life, kids, responsibilities, and whatever else is giving me too much stress at the moment.  I broke my promise to God to not get online to look at unnecessary things (blogs, Facebook, etc), but I did it "a little bit" (like that didn't count, or something!) when I was overwhelmed.  I also know it was God who pointed this out to me after the fast, because I felt convicted, not condemned.  It was like God was saying, "Hey, look at this... Why do you suppose you did that?..." 

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matthew 6:33).

God has been showing me since the fast that when we focus on our problems, it causes our problems to be in the center of our vision.  I heard an example of this the other day that made so much sense to me.  If you're driving your car and want to make sure you avoid hitting the guard rail, the last thing you want to do is FOCUS on the guard rail.  If you focus on it, you will end up guiding your steering wheel over in that direction and hitting it!  This is the same concerning the things in our lives that we want to change.  If we focus on them first, instead of God first, they will become the center of our vision.  We want God to be the center of our vision, not our problems. 

This may sounds simple and somewhat obvious, but I realized that during my fast I kept telling God every day what I wanted delivered from, etc.  My focus was more on what I wanted changed than on God, Himself. 

"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matthew 6:33).

If we focus on God first, we will receive everything we need.  Yes, we need to pray and ask God for these things.  But after that, we need to know that God remembers our prayers and wants us to focus on Him in the meantime! 

Have you been focusing on God first, or focusing on what you want Him to fix?

Lord, God, please show me when I am putting other things before you.  If I seek You first, You will give me everything I need.  I don't need to keep asking you and focusing on when You will heal me and fix everything I see wrong in myself.  You will take care of it in Your own time as I focus on You.  Thank you, Jesus, for this revelation!

Are You Using Your Sword?

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12).

Did you know that you're in a spiritual battle? Often, you hear stories of people who become "serious" about their walk with Jesus - and suddenly they find themselves in the middle of a battle. Children rebel, friends walk away, family members point fingers, etc. This seems backwards from the way it should be, right? Or...maybe not. Whether we recognize it, or not, we are all in a spiritual battle. When we get serious with God, satan hates it and turns up the heat. Sometimes, he can even turn up the heat without us recognizing that it's coming from him. We can become so complacent with the oppression in our lives, that we become blinded to where it is coming from. He does all he can to steal, kill and destroy everything in your path (including you!) when you give your life to Jesus. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10).

When we learn who we are in Christ, and we stand in the power that we have in Him, all of the devil's plans are ruined. Some people are afraid of satan. As long as you are born again Christian who is living for Him, you do not need to be afraid of satan. You have power over him, in Jesus' name, and satan knows it. When satan tries to harass you (because he will), you do not need to cower to him.

I'm asking that you take a minute to pray about something. Ask God if you have been deceived by satan by letting him walk all over you instead of fighting the battle with the armor God gave you.

• Have you found yourself to be in a spiritual fog, lately?
• Are you feeling oppressed, and you can't figure out why?
• Do you feel like you have a black cloud over your head?
• Are you overwhelmed at the thought of ministering to someone?
• Do you often feel like you can't pray "right" so why bother?
• Do you question God's desire to heal you?
• Do you feel like God isn't listening to you anymore?
• You feel hopeless as a Christian and just want to give up.

These are all often signs that the devil is trying to throw up a smokescreen around you. Again, satan loves to steal, kill and destroy. He will do these things any way he can. Do not let him do this to you! If you let him run all over you, he will do it time and time again. We are all in a spiritual battle, whether we recognize this or not. You have to stand up for yourself and use the spiritual armor that God has given you. Use God's Word to fight satan. If you're feeling any of the ways I listed above, or in any other situation that is seemingly beating up on you, fight against it with the Word!  Don't give up!  Sometimes we can feel like we've been beat up for quite awhile before we recognize that it is all a scheme from the devil himself. Have you been letting him trample all over you and you didn't even realize it? Maybe you have realized it but have felt too defeated to fight back.  Pray that God would show you the truth of the situation that you're in. If you have been letting satan have his way in your life, stand up to him with the Word, and he will flee. James 4:7 says,"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you".

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:12-13).

Knowing, using, and confessing God's Word is all part of the battle. God's Word is your sword! He gave it to us so that we can know who He is so that we can learn who we are IN HIM, and know how to fight the battles that will come into our lives. Not IF the battles come, but WHEN.

Are you using your sword?

Jesus, thank you for showing us how to fight the battles that come into our lives. You have not left us alone to figure this out by ourselves. We have clear instructions from You...we just need to use them! We do not need to be afraid of our enemy, because we have victory of him in Your name. You have given us authority over him. We praise You, God, for being the loving and protecting Father that we all need. In Your name, Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Finish The Race!

"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace" (Acts 20:24).

Have you ever thought about the process of how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly?  According to The Academy of Natural Sciences,

The caterpillar is referred to as a pupa during the transition stage. Depending on the species, the pupa may be suspended under a branch, hidden in leaves or buried underground. This stage can last from a few weeks, a month or even longer. Some species have a pupal stage that lasts for two years.  It may look like nothing is going on but big changes are happening inside. Special cells that were present in the larva are now growing rapidly. They will become the legs, wings, eyes and other parts of the adult butterfly. It reaches the adult stage when it finally looks like the butterflies we see flying around.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Corinthians 5:17).

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

This is so similar, in many ways, to the process we go through when following Christ.  When we give our lives to follow Him, we begin to change. Part of the "proof" of true repentance includes a changed life.  I found it interesting to learn that butterflies are not all in the cocoon for the same amount of time.  This is the same for us, as Christ followers.  When we begin following Jesus, we begin a major transformation.  God helps us transform by pruning us.  There is no set time for this process to occur.  We do not become Christians and become completely transformed in 6 months. (Wouldn't that be something?)  Although we will never be completely transformed until we are in Heaven, we will all go through the process at different "speeds" here on earth.  Why is this?  This is just my opinion, but I think that depending on our willingness to surrender, the amount of "junk" that we let into our lives before we got saved, not to mention the specific call on our lives all influence how long the majority of this process takes.

Are You Bearing Good Fruit?

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5).

God promises us that if we are following Him, He will prune us.  Pruning can sometimes (often) be painful, but it is necessary in order to stay alive in Him.  If we completely surrender our lives to Him, we will bear good fruit. Pardon my poor example, but sometimes you may feel like the only fruit you're bearing is raisins, while everyone else around you is bearing watermelons.  It may seem like nothing is going on in the inside, but (like the former caterpillar) major changes are occurring!  The longer you follow Christ, the more you are transformed into His image.  God knows the speed in which we are being transformed, and it's not something that we should truly be concerned with.  Keep your eyes on Him, and you will become more like Him!

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name" (John 15:16).

"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10).

Finish The Race!

Jesus has given us all we need to finish the race that is set before us.  He desires for you to persevere!  No matter where you are on your journey, you can always remember that as long as you're following Christ - you're right where you're supposed to be.  It's easy for some of us (myself included) to think about months (and years) that went by when we weren't in God's will for our lives, even after we dedicated our lives to Him.  It's easy to feel frustrated by thoughts like "I should be further along in this whole process" or "I'm so behind everyone else".  I personally understand those thoughts, because I went through a time like that.  My husband and I were both saved the same year.  I went through a few tough years when I was not following Christ as I should have been.  When I got  back "in the race", I felt so far behind my husband.  I was continually frustrated with myself when I compared my spiritual growth to his (first mistake!), and all it did was make things worse.  If you can relate to what I'm saying, do yourself a favor and forgive yourself.  What's important is the walk you have with God NOW.
 
"but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:31).

"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him" (James 1:12).

Lord, Jesus, I thank you for the continual transforming process that we go through.  You do not leave us when we're only half-way through!  As we focus our eyes on you, we are becoming more like You every day.  I will keep my eyes on You and finish my race!  Thank you, Jesus.  Amen

Picture Credit:  blogs.orlandosentinel.com

Are We Loving Others?

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).

If you know me personally or just even read my blog, you can easily guess that I’m quite conservative in my views. I was not always this way. I spent the first 26 years of my life as a liberal feminist, and I liked being that way! I grew up naturally rejecting any sense of a male-dominated world, and the thought of a woman submitting herself to her husband made me want to throw up. Although I was raised going to church, Christianity (as a whole) seemed narrow-minded and out of touch with today’s culture. I was very liberal-minded and didn’t think it was anybody’s business to say what was ultimately right and wrong in the world as long as it didn’t hurt anyone. So, what changed?

I was introduced to a relationship with Jesus.

I wasn’t introduced to Christianity or a religion...I was introduced to Jesus. There's a HUGE difference.  True Christianity is based on a loving relationship with Jesus. I’ve noticed that it’s so easy (myself included) for people to write and talk about all of the things Christians and unbelievers are not supposed to be doing, but we lose the true meaning of why. My guess is, a lot of us don’t even know if what we believe is truly scriptural. We’re just relying on what someone else has said, and we’re assuming it’s scriptural. It is our responsibility to search the scriptures ourselves and not rely on what someone else says! 

Before I became a born-again Christian, I viewed Christianity as just a set of strict rules. You follow the rules - you’re good Christian. You don’t follow the rules – you fake it until it looks like you’re following them. Christians seemed narrow-minded and judgmental. I completely understand why many unbelievers think that Christians are a bunch of judgmental hypocrites. Honestly, a lot of us are! We convict the “world” for the sins that they commit, yet we have lives that don’t honor God as well. We’re just better at hiding it…at least we think we are. 

As a Christian, I believe the bible is 100% true. My beliefs and standards are set by God’s Word. I may not like everything that I read, and I may not personally think some of it is the right thing to do. Guess what? That doesn’t matter! If I am a true follower of Jesus, I will follow what He says whether I agree with it or not. I cannot pick and choose what I will believe. I’ve heard it said that the bible is not a candy store. You cannot pick and choose the parts you like and leave the rest behind. It’s all or nothing! Christianity is not about us, it’s about Jesus.  Now that I've been a Christian for awhile, I understand that He doesn't give us rules and commands to live by to be controlling or narrow-minded; He does it because He loves us. We should be doing what He commands us to do because we love Him, also!

Every command in the bible is ultimately for our own good. The bible is written for us by a loving Father who knows best. He expects us to live by the bible because He loves us! My daughter, who is 13 months old, started crying when I shut the gate at the stop of the stairs today. She was so upset that I blocked her from going down the steps! She is too young to understand that I was only protecting her, I wasn’t trying to block her freedom. We don’t often understand why God has forbid certain things from us, but it’s for our own protection!  He doesn't want us to obey Him because we're scared of Him or find ourselves backed into a corner.  He wants us to obey Him because we love Him.

We, as Christians, often miss it is when we expect other people (who are not Christians) to live the same way we do. If someone is not a born-again Christian and does not have a revelation of who Jesus really is, they are not going to give the bible an ounce of worth. I’m not saying that we should never talk to people about our faith or beliefs! What I am saying, is that we are to do these things in a non-judgmental way. We are to show them LOVE. The Holy Spirit is the only One who can give someone a revelation of God’s Truth! Until then, a person is going to remain blinded from it. In the meantime, we are to LOVE them and not condemn them. We are to LOVE them, not harshly judge them.  It upsets me so much when I see Christians belittling and harassing unbelievers. If someone degrades, disrespects or belittles someone in an attempt to convict them of their sin, they are not following God's command to love others.

I didn't become a Christian change my way of life because someone pointed a finger in my face. I did it because God gave me a revelation of who He is!

Jesus did not intend for us to be rigid Christians. If we don't treat each other with love, we have missed the point of Christianity all together.  Our job as Christians is to develop a close relationship with Jesus, walk with Him daily, and share our faith in Him with others IN LOVE. Our job is not to convince people to believe what we believe. Only the Holy Spirit can do that; In the mean time, we are to pray. 

“But if anyone obeys His word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in Him” (1 John 2:5).

What's Driving You?

“Commit (roll) everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him and He will help you” (Psalm 37:5).

Back in July, I was asked by my pastors if I would create and write a weekly devotional based on the Sunday messages. I was so excited, and I couln't wait to set it up and start writing. I had been praying about writing a devotional one day, and I just “knew” that this was my chance.

After a couple of weeks, my momentum slowed down and I started to get frustrated. My daughter started becoming much more mobile, and I was not able to get as much done while she was awake. Instead of spending her nap time working on the devotional, I needed to spend it getting other things done around the house. I also never realized how difficult it would be for me to write a devotional based on a message that God gave someone else! I really enjoyed doing it, but it took me a lot longer than I anticipated. I had to study each individual scripture in the message and fully understand all of the material in order to write about it. In one aspect it was great, because I was studying the Word and getting so much more out of the messages than I normally would have. On the other hand, it was taking up so much more time than I had anticipated. I was having so much trouble finding the time to do all of this each week, and I was getting more frustrated with myself as the weeks passed by.

I finally said something to my pastor, but I unfortunately waited until I was extremely frustrated and stressed over the whole thing. I have a difficult time backing out of commitments once I make them, and I didn’t want to have to say I couldn’t do it anymore. I also had another motive for waiting so long, though. God showed me that I held off telling my pastor as long as I did, because I didn’t want someone else to do it. I didn’t want to feel like someone else was taking my place. How’s that for honesty? (Some time has passed since then, and I'm thankfully over that now!)

“Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him." Psalm 37:7

God has been showing me these last few weeks that I am sometimes driven by things that make me feel special and valuable. I want to feel useful. Being a stay-at-home-mom can be lonely sometimes, and it’s easy to feel isolated from everyone else. It’s easy to take on extra responsibilities in order to feel like I’m finally doing something “important”.

What is the driving force behind the decisions you make?

If you find yourself saying “yes” to things that you know you don’t have time for, or feeling frustrated while taking on extra projects, ask yourself why you decided to do them in the first place. There is nothing you could do that would give you more worth in God’s eyes! He loves you and knows your heart better than anyone. You are never overlooked by Him. You are precious to Him, and He loves you more than you know.

False Security

What makes you feel secure?

My son was getting ready to start preschool a few months ago, and I was trying to re-arrange my daily schedule since our mornings would be so different. As I was praying about this, I kept hearing silence. I even set one day aside to specifically pray about it and, again, I heard nothing. I was getting frustrated, but I figured I just needed to wait on God.

The weekend after Joshua started preschool, we went out of town to visit my husband’s family. While we were in the car one afternoon, I distinctly heard God speak to my heart. Out of nowhere, God told me that He didn't want me to re-arrange my schedule.  He wanted me to stop using it all together! Now for those of you who don’t need (or want) a schedule, you may be wondering what the big deal is. For those of you who are like me, though, it may cause a bit of panic to set in when thinking about letting go of something that is so instrumental in helping you stay organized!

At first I thought that it couldn’t have been God telling me that. He would never want me to get rid of my schedule…right? Wrong. That was God speaking to me, and I realized it even more as the weekend progressed, and I had more time for it to settle into my heart. I finally began to realize what He was trying to tell me. 

Instead of leaning on God, I was leaning on my schedule.

Now I’m not saying schedules are bad, and I’m not telling everyone that God wants you to get rid of your schedules! I just want you to hear the message that God has been slowly but surely getting across to me.  He caused me to realize that I found security and stability in having a schedule.  I have to say that I was caught off guard by this at first.  It wasn't one of the "obvious" places that I thought I would place my security.  But it's true.  If I had a schedule in place...I felt at rest.  If I didn't...I felt anxious - really anxious. Although I know that I will never get everything done that I set out to accomplish for the day, it seems like I was forgetting that God is ultimately the One who helps me in accomplishing everything I need to do...NOT my schedule.

Our security is supposed to be found in Jesus only!

I gave up my schedule (as frightening as it was), and I decided to trust God. Let me tell you that even though I knew God told me to do this, I still felt like I was being irresponsible! It wasn’t easy. That was back in September, and I still do not have a set schedule for my day. I don't think that He's expecting me to go the rest of my life without having one again, but He's teaching me things now that I couldn't learn if I went back to the way things were.  It's actually kind of freeing.  He will help me accomplish everything that needs to be done.  When everything during the day seems to be falling part, God does not want me to make a more effective schedule. He wants me to lean on Him!

Is there something that would cause you to panic if God told you to give it up?

Jesus, you correct us, because You love us! Thank you for helping me to trust You every minute of the day. I want to lean on You, and only You! You will not leave me when things get tough. You are my Rock!

Picture credit:  lisapraises.blogspot.com

Why I Don't Celebrate Halloween

I don't know about you, but I grew up going trick-or-treating every year as a kid.  Now that I have children of my own, I can't help but notice the incredible amount of controversy among Christians concerning whether or not to celebrate Halloween.  This post is not an attempt to offend any well-meaning Christians who choose to celebrate Halloween.  The purpose of this post is to bring light to some issues that I was never aware of until just a few years ago.

What is the Occult?

It wasn't until about 7 or 8 years ago that I discovered the word "occult".  A definition of the occult is " of or characteristic of magical, mystical, or supernatural arts, phenomena, or influences".  I grew up using Ouija boards, reading astrology books, reading my horoscope, etc.  This all seemed like harmless fun.  After all, no one ever got hurt, and I never saw any negative effects from participating in all of those things.  Then I discovered that these activities are all part of the occult.  There are many other occult activities that I found on this particular website:  The Occult 

What is So Harmful About the Occult?

God specifically forbids us from having any connection to the occult.  For many years, I didn't even know that was in the bible.  The churches I had been a part of never taught this, and I never came across it myself in the bible. Here are some scriptures that I have found since then:

“When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire [an ancient occult practice], or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination [detestable] to the LORD…” ( Deuteronomy 18:9-12).

"Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God (Leviticus 19:31)".

"As for the person who turns to mediums and to spiritist, to play the harlot after them, I will also set My face against that person and will cut him off from among his people (Leviticus 20:6)".

How is Halloween Connected To the Occult?

Just search "Halloween pictures" and see if it doesn't seem related to the definition of the occult.  There's a whole other world out there that we can't see with our natural eyes.  It's real. Satan is a deceiver, and he has tricked many people into believing that Halloween is all fun and games.  When a person celebrates Halloween, he or she needs to ask, "What exactly am I celebrating?" 

I understand that many people would feel terrible not letting their children dress up and go trick-or-treating when they have done so in the past.  It's also difficult to go against what friends and family are doing.  Doing what God has commanded us to do (and not do) is more important than your feelings, though.  As Christians, we need to put all of our beliefs and traditions aside sometimes and measure them up to the Word of God.  Ephesians 6:12 says, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms". 

What about celebrating Halloween but just avoiding all of the "scary" stuff? 

Personally, I don't think it makes any difference what your (my) children are dressed in, it's still celebrating Halloween.  God has warned us not to become like the world, and we are not to participate in all of the evil that's in it.  We are to "test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22) "and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them" (Ephesians 5:11). 

We Are Ultimately Chosing Our Way or God's Way. 

I also believe that celebrating Halloween is a way that the devil can get a foothold in our children's hearts concerning the occult.  When our children see Halloween as harmless, it can easily lead to other things connected to the occult appearing harmless also.  That's what happened to me, and I know I'm not the only one.  The occult is not harmless! 

These are the reasons why our family does not celebrate Halloween.  This is not an exhaustive list, and the list actually keeps growing and changing as my children get older and as I learn more about the Word of God and the standards that He has set up to protect us.  This applies to all situations of life, not just Halloween.  It's a continual process of laying down what I've always done and measuring it up against God's Word.  

What do you do concerning Halloween?  For those who celebrate it and will continue to celebrate it this year, I challenge you to search the scriptures on it and pray that God gives you a revelation of how He sees Halloween. 

I welcome your comments, knowing that not everyone will agree with what I have written.

It's Not About Me!

Guess what?  It's not about me.

God showed me something recently that has really started to transform my heart.  One morning I woke up and was praying that He would give me more love for people.  After I was done praying, God said something that has really stuck with me.  This was one of those things that I've heard numerous times, but never really grasped the truth in it.  God spoke to my heart and told me that if I lived each day with a focus on blessing people, I would automatically begin to have more love in my heart.  Basically, He told me that I need to take my eyes off of myself and put them onto others. 

John 13:34-35, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

It's so interesting how you can hear or read something several times, but when God gives you a revelation about it, you see it from a whole new perspective. I went about my day trying to keep in mind what He told me.  I found myself feeling angry, impatient and worried much less throughout the day just by focusing on others rather than myself.  God has also been showing me that my life will be filled with so much more joy just by taking my eyes off of myself. 

It is so easy to be overwhelmed with concerns that we have.  Many people have financial worries, health issues, time constraints, etc.  God wants us to give our concerns to Him and focus on loving others.  It almost sounds like the opposite of what we should do, but God has commanded us to do this!  If you are a born again believer, then you have the Holy Spirit in you.  That means you already have this love living inside of you, because He is love. 

I challenge you to focus on others today instead of focusing on yourself and your concerns.  God will bless this, and you will see the joy that comes in your heart from it!

Jesus, you have called all of us to love others.  Thank You for teaching me how to love others, despite the challenging circumstances that may be in my life.  Thank you for beginning to peel away my selfishness, replacing it with joy!

Picture credit:  chrisjoy2911.files.wordpress.com

Be Careful What You Say

“And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak” (Matthew 12:36).


As Matthew 12:36 tells us, we will give an account to God one day for every word that we speak.  I don't know about you, but I have said many things over the years that I'm not too proud of.  Knowing that God heard me say these things makes me cringe.  To be perfectly honest, I still catch myself saying things "in the moment" of a conversation with friends and family that I really regret later.  But, by then, it's too late.  The damage is already done.

One place that many people encounter gossip is the workplace.  During my "pre-child" days, I worked as a mental health crisis worker.  Part of my job was to answer the crisis line.  When the phones were ringing, we were really busy.  When it was quiet, it was really quiet.  When the quiet time came, it allowed a lot of opportunities for gossip, etc.  It was really difficult not to get involved in all of it, because of the way our office was set up.  When there weren't any calls, everyone tended to drift to one office (the one I usually worked in) to talk.  It was a really small room (probably no bigger than the average bedroom) with several chairs and a few desks.  I wish I could say that I was able to get through that time of my life without gossiping, but I can't.  I found myself praying before work each day, for God to show me ways to glorify Him and not get caught up in it all.  It can be so easy to get drawn into that, and when you do, it's so difficult to get back out.  

What if you don't work outside the home or don't have any trouble staying out of the gossip at work?  What if you have already made up your mind that you're not going to gossip?  Have you ever come across any of these situations?

- Have you ever told your spouse something about someone else that he/she didn't necessarily need to know?

- Have you ever been told something and then presented it as a prayer request to someone else when you knew you shouldn't have disclosed the information to anyone else?

WHAT WE TELL OTHERS WILL AFFECT THEIR HEARTS

One area that God has been speaking to me about lately, is telling Kevin things he doesn't necessarily need (or want) to know.  For example, I may be speaking with someone and find out that "Stacy" has been arguing a lot with her husband, etc.  Unless Kevin has some specific reason that he would need to know all of this information, God has been showing me that I shouln't tell him.  Otherwise, it's just gossip.  God has really been showing me lately how much everything I tell Kevin affects his heart.  I don't want to add to all of the "garbage" that he hears during the day.  This has been a tough area to improve on, but with God's help, I can do all things through Him who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13)!

"The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit" (Proverbs 18:21).

- Are you honoring God with what you say?  What changes can you make if you're not?

- If you're married, do you tell your spouse information that he/she doesn't necessarily need to know?

Lord, you are so patient and merciful. You know how powerful the words are that we speak. Each word we say speaks life or death.  May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer (Psalm 119:4). 

Picture credit:  http://www.michaelhyatt.com/

Psalm 23 Group Project

Some of you may remember that I participated in a group writing project on Psalm 23 not too long ago.  Courtney, of Faithful Bloggers, compiled every one's blog posts entered in the project into a download report of over 40 pages of devotions all on Psalm 23! 

This was a wonderful project to participate in, and the finished product is great!  Courtney has graciously put this together and is offering it as a free download for anyone who would like it. 

DOWNLOAD HERE (Right Click and Save As)

If you download the report, please stop by Faithful Bloggers to thank Courtney for blessing you with this devotion.  I hope you're blessed by it!

CAUTION: HEAVY LOAD!

I recently made the decision to start walking in the morning before my family wakes up.  It's been wonderful, and it's also been very eye opening for me.  Why has it been eye opening?  Besides the fact that I'm just plain out of shape, I've realized that my brain is constantly ON.  While I've been walking, I've found myself thinking about NEXT year's tax return money, wondering how much longer my car is going to last, etc.  So often I am thinking about things that are contrary to the word of God.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Phil 4:8

I am realizing that when my brain is on "auto", I am not thinking much of anything that's true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy.  No wonder I can so often find myself worn out by middle of the day.  No wonder I often find myself feeling "down" and I don't know why.  Now I DO know why!

God has not called us to worry.  We are to cast all of our cares on Him! 1 Peter 5:7 says, "Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you." Knowing this and DOING this are two entirely different things!  When I was walking this morning, I started praying about this.  God gave me a great analogy that I want to share with you...

Imagine you are at work, and you have several extra projects piling up on your desk that you don't know when you'll be able to tackle.  Suppose your boss comes up to you and offers to complete some of those projects for you since you've been overloaded with so much extra work.  If your boss decided to take some of these projects from you, you would no longer be responsible for them.  You wouldn't need to keep checking with him/her to make sure these projects were completed, because your boss is responsible for them now.  You are no longer responsible for what happens to them.  Your boss did this as a favor to you to lighten your load.  You only need to focus on the projects that he/she left for you to handle.

This is what God showed me this morning regarding the things I think about, worry about and try to always figure out.  Jesus is my boss.  He does not want me to carry this extra load.  He has not designed me to carry it!  He has offered to take it from me, (and YOU!) so I can accomplish what He has called me to do.  If I'm constantly carrying around a load that He didn't call me to carry, I won't be able to accomplish what He wants me to!  I'm actually sinning by not handing all of my concerns to Him!

Now this is something that I've known for a long time, but it really became clear to me today.  For example, say I get angry with someone who hurts me intentionally.  I know I need to forgive him/her.  Letting go of the hurt, though, is something that has been so difficult for me to do.  I tend to re-play situations in my mind over and over again until I get upset all over again.  I've always kind of felt like giving these things to God is the same thing as "stuffing" it further down and ignoring it.  To me, there's always only been 2 options:  1)  Get upset like I want to.  or   2)  Give it to God and stuff my feelings about it.  Neither are the correct way to handle it.  God pointed out something so entirely important to me this morning! 

When we give things over to God, He becomes responsible for them! 

I'm not just handing these things over to God and letting the situation just handle itself.  I'm handing these things over to God so He can be responsible for them!  When we give our worries, concerns, fears, etc. over to God, He doesn't just put it on His "To Do" list and forget about it.  God is not like our friends, co-workers, employees or relatives that don't follow through on things that they have promised to do.  God is not passive, and He's not a procrastinator!  When we give things to Him, they will be taken care of.  This may not always be in our timing, but they will be handled with care by an all-knowing, all-powerful God!

Take some time to become aware of where your mind is "traveling" during idle times.  What are you carrying around that you should give to God?  Give it to Him today, and know that He doesn't want you to carry that load in the first place!  You were not meant to carry such a heavy load.  Jesus has called you to live for Him and accomplish certain things for Him, and you can't effectively do that if you're carrying around so much weight.  It will eventually wear you down.

Thank you, Jesus, that you have not called me to figure everything out.  You have called me to give You all of my worries and concerns so that You can handle them as You see best.  You are not a procrastinator, and You won't forget about what I have given You!  Thank You for this revelation that has helped to lighten this load that You have not called me to carry!

Picture credit:  labelsourceonline.co.uk     taxdollars.ocregister.com

He Leads Me To Rest

I am participating in a Christian group writing project by Faithful Bloggers.  The writing project is based on Psalm 23, and I chose to write my post on Psalm 23:2.  This was a fun project, because it was the first time I have really studied this verse in detail.

Psalm 23:2 " He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters."

First, I will look at Psalm 23:2(a).  "He makes me lie down in green pastures."  As I was thinking about what this verse means to me, I started to think about the life of a mom with young children.  My life, specifically!  I try to get up around 5:30 a.m. in order to get several things done before my children wake up.  Often, I am too tired from not enough sleep the night before, and I don't get up until 6 a.m.  This seems like only 1/2 hour, but it is time that I don't seem to ever get back during the day.  Having 2 little ones at home all day leaves the house in constant "mess-making mode"!  I have so many things that need done during the day, and it is very rare that I accomplish most of what I want to get done.  I expect this, though, and that is fine.  This is the season of life that I'm in right now! 

Let's face it.  We're all busy!  God wants us to take time to re-charge our batteries, and lie down in His green pastures.  He created 6 days for us to work, and 1 for us to rest.  I think most of us have the 6 days of working figured out pretty well.  It's the 1 day of rest that many of us neglect.  I happen to believe that this day of rest does not necessarily need to be on a Sunday (just my personal belief!), but it needs to be at least 1 day out of the week.  I admit that I haven't been good at doing this, at all!  One day of not cleaning, and I find that my house looks like 2 tornadoes came through!  I find it interesting that the verse says, "He makes..."  God often needs to slow us down, because we are unwilling to do it on our own.  He knows that we all need time to rest, or we will suffer spiritually, physically, and emotionally.  We need to rest.  True rest can be found in quieting ourselves in prayer and focusing on Him.  He will show us how to rest in the green pastures that He has provided for us.

Are you resting in the green pastures that God has provided for you?

Psalm 23:2(b)  "He leads me beside still waters."

There are so many things in life that can cause us worry, anxiety, and to feel overwhelmed.  Jesus wants us to rest in Him, which is why He leads us to still waters.  Still waters are calming.  They are refreshing.  We all need to feel refreshed now and again.  Our minds are constantly "on the go", and this can be as draining as any kind of physical activity.  I know that it's really easy for me to feel overwhelmed if I'm not focused on God.  For example, my husband is very involved in our church, and he recently started a ministry of his own.  As his ministry is getting off of the ground, he is getting busier and busier.  I'm very happy for him, because we know that God is behind this.  If I'm not careful, though, I can start to feel overwhelmed while thinking about our future.  It can be lonely when he's gone so much, and that means longer days with the children by myself.  When I start thinking this way, this is a clear sign that I need to let God lead me to the still waters that He has provided for me to rest beside.  After resting with Him and gaining God's perspective on the situation, I feel refreshed!  We need these still waters that He leads us to.  It's so easy to ignore them, but soon we will find ourselves bitter, angry, depressed and burned out.

When you find yourself worrying or feeling lonely, depressed or overwhelmed, where (or who) do you turn to? 

Are you resting beside the still waters with Him?

Thank you, Jesus, that you have provided a way for us to truly rest.  You know when we need to stop, rest, and be restored by You.  You are the only one who can restore us!

Picture credit:  worldofstock.com and stallionriders.co.za

Only Jesus Can Fill Us Up!

I just discovered this song the other day, and I wanted to share it with you.  It's called, "All Along" by Remedy Drive.  It's so true that people (including myself!) have found themselves searching for something to fill them up, make them happy, and make them complete; but nothing will complete us but God! He created us so that only He can complete us!  (You can pause my playlist at the bottom to hear this.)

I Thought My Life Was Over...

It was 11 years ago that I thought my life was over.  My previous husband had moved out on July 3, 1999, and I thought that my life had very little hope after that.  We had just gotten married the year before, and I never got to see the dreams that I had in my heart with him begin to come to fruition.  It was practically over before it began.  I was crushed.

I realized that it was 11 years ago today, when I saw the date, July 3, 2010, on my computer.  I think it made an impression on me this morning, because it was also a Saturday when he left.  I'm a date person!  I always remember dates when things happened, etc.   

I can remember that day so clearly.  When Paul was moving his belongings out of our apartment, I went to my Grandma's house, because I couldn't bare to be around to watch him.  I came back later to find so much emptiness.  My apartment was empty, and my heart was empty.  I felt so incredibly alone.  I remember seeing the fireworks that weekend and looking up into the sky wondering what my future held.  I will never forget that feeling of hopelessness.  My heart was broken. 

Little did I realize that my future held the most amazing parts of my life, yet!  My loneliness and despair lead me to start searching for a church that I could go to.  I was not saved at the time, and I didn't even know that I needed to be saved.  I just wanted something to give me hope. 

Jesus reached out to me in one of the most tragic times of my life.  Little did I know that Paul would also die a little over a year later.  I THANK GOD that I gave my life to Jesus before that, because I don't know how I would have gotten through that without Him in my life.  I really don't. 

About a year after Paul moved out, I gave my life to Jesus.  For the first time in my life, I felt such purpose.  I felt such comfort in knowing that God had a plan for me, and I didn't always have to wander around hoping that I was going in the right direction.  Jesus has changed my life!  He led me to Kevin, whom I have now been married to for almost 6 years.  We now have 2 beautiful children, and I can't imagine any of them not being in my life!  Jesus has healed me, delivered me, and set me free of so many things!  I grew up believing in God.  I always knew He existed.  But there is a different in knowing who He is and having a relationship with Him.  I rely on Him.  I talk to Him every day.  He is always there to listen to me.  He will correct me when I'm going in the wrong direction.  He is the perfect father and friend.

I look back today and see myself looking up into the sky at those fireworks 11 years ago, and I thought my life was over.  I thought everything was ruined.  All my dreams for my future were never going to happen. Little did I know that my life with Jesus was just about to begin!  Every time I see fireworks I think of that day, and I'm reminded about just how much that Jesus has done in my life, and how much He has restored!  I never could have imagined how much having a real relationship with Jesus could show me my true purpose in life, transform my dreams, goals, and give me a new vision for my life.

If you don't have a true relationship with Jesus, you are missing out on more than you could ever imagine.  Whether you don't have any hope left in your life, or maybe you think your life is already just as you want it to be...having a true relationship with Jesus will transform your life in ways that you have never even thought of yet.  The biggest thing He will do for you is save your life!  He came to this earth to die in place of us.  He died for our sins, so we wouldn't have to live in hell for eternity!  If you allow Him into your heart and follow after Him, He will save you from all of that.  He will save you from having to spend ETERNITY in hell, and you will forever live with Him.  This is the ONLY way to get to heaven.  He loves you so much and wants to give you hope, purpose and eternal life with Him.  Like I mentioned before, maybe you think your life is already just the way you want it.  That may be, but you need to surrender your life to Him to be saved from hell when you die.  We all die, and no one knows when that moment will come. 

If you have never given your life to Jesus, ask Him to come into your life today!  Ask Him to become your Lord and Savior, and He will.  Ask Him to forgive you, and He will.  Turn your life from the direction you have been going, and start walking with Him.  Pray to Him every day.  Lean on Him for all of your decisions.  Lean on Him for everything!  Being a Christian is not about going to church on Sundays (although that's good to do!), it's about having a relationship with Jesus!  It's not about thinking about God every once in awhile, or just when you need help.  He wants nothing more than for you to give your entire life to Him!

Thank you, Jesus, that you are such a wonderful Lord and Savior!  You gave me hope when I had none.  You have delivered me, saved me, and given me a future that I never could have imagined otherwise.  I love you!

Picture credit:  personalitycafe.com

I Did It!

My husband leads a ministry in our church that I used to never imagine I'd ever be a part of.  He leads a street ministry team that meets downtown to share Jesus with people. (That's my handsome husband in the picture above!)  This is not something where people stand around with microphones shouting at people, or anything like that.  It's just having conversations with people, and sharing the love of Jesus and what He has done for us.  I have felt too intimidated to do this...until now!  Well, I guess I'm still intimidated, but I have finally gotten the courage to go anyhow!  Anyone who knows me understands that it can only be God working in me to be able to do this!  I'm the one that can sit through a whole conversation of people talking, and not say a word!  I can tell you everything that everyone said, but I very easily just listen and observe without adding to the conversation.  That's what comes naturally to me.

Evangelism has always been my husband's passion.  He's very good at sharing his faith, and I've always just considered it his thing, not mine.  There's a verse in the bible that I can't ignore, though! 

Mark 16:15 says, "He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." 

Jesus called us to share our faith with one another!  I know that I share my faith in my blog, but it's a completely different thing to share my faith with someone in person.  I'm more comfortable writing about my faith than speaking about it, because I can take my time and think about what I want to say. My husband is always sharing his faith with people.  I've watched him time and time again doing this.  He loves people, and wants to see them all saved!  It amazes me how he can approach a complete stranger and carry on a spiritual conversation.  I'm not comfortable approaching a stranger in order to have any kind of conversation, let alone a spiritual one!

It has been on my heart to go out with them this summer, and I've been able to go a few times now.  I didn't say anything to anyone...until last night!  Kevin was involved in a conversation that seemed like it could be a long one, so I started walking around with someone else to find someone to talk to.  I just kept praying to myself, "Please God, fill my mouth with Your words and make them come out!"  Finally, two women started walking right towards me.  I approached them and asked if I could ask them a couple of questions, which lead into the conversation.  I didn't lead either of them to Christ, but I was able to pray with both of them!  I didn't realize until I was finished praying with them that they were both crying.  These two women were so thankful that someone took the time to pray with them.  I was so surprised...and glad! 

I'm so glad that I have broken through this fear of not sharing my faith with people!  I'm still quite nervous about it, but I finally have found the boldness to do it anyhow! 

There are many different ways to share your faith.  When is the last time that you shared your faith with someone? 

Jesus, thank you so much for equipping the people who love You to tell others about what You have done.  Thank you for not giving up on me when I kept saying no!  Thank you for giving me the strength and boldness to tell others about You.

Another Testimony of Freedom!

I have been so blessed by the comments and e-mails that I have received from my posts on My Path To Freedom.  I was incredibly nervous to write these posts, but God has given me so much grace and mercy throughout all of this.  I have received several e-mails from Christian women who have also dealt with homosexual/bi-sexual feelings over their lifetimes. 

This is not something that is widely talked about within the church, and I'm beginning to realize that it affects so many women's lives.  No one talks about it, and this makes it even more shameful for the women dealing with this.  It's one thing to deal with this before becoming a Christian, but it's an entirely different thing to deal with these unwanted thoughts/feelings after you become a Christian!  I know that I walked around for so many years feeling like there was something wrong with me, and that I was the only one.  I never knew that other Christian women had dealt with this in their lifetimes (even after they became Christians).  The thought of me being the only one who has dealt with this was what kept this bondage so strong for me throughout the years.  A friend of mine mentioned her struggles with this, and it ministered to me so much.  She had no idea at the time what I had been through.  Her story is what started to break this bondage in my life.  I have also talked to another woman I know who had a similar experience.  Like I mentioned in my earlier posts about this, keeping this a secret is one of the things makes this bondage so strong.  When it's let out into the open, the grip it has on a person's life starts to loosen. 

I wanted to share a testimony I received in an e-mail (with her permission) of a woman who struggled with the same thing for many years.  She is now a Christian woman who is married with 2 children.  This is her testimony...

"Sometimes, because you have something missing in your life, you do things to compensate. That's what happened to me.

I am a 22 year old woman who has been saved since I was eight years old. Over the past 7 years, my life has been slowly going downhill due to circumstances all around me: my mother being diagnosed with anorexia/OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) / major depression, the “loss” of my father through his withdrawing from our family, quitting college because of depression, endless relationships with men that ended in tragedy. I remember for some time, due to the influence of my mother, I was very conscious of my weight and appearance. I always looked at the girls around me, comparing myself to them. Somehow, through the constant viewing, comparing, looking, I found myself becoming interested in women.

I remember, at college, “having” to watch the Ellen “coming out” episode. At that time, I had NO IDEA that I had homosexual feelings, but something was at work within me, and it was a dangerous thing. I left school after 1 1/2 years due to major depression. I could not concentrate in school, and there were two guys that I had dated that went there, and I couldn't take the stress.

When I returned home, something inside me made me post an ad on the Internet. I met *Sarah, a lesbian not too far from me. She was looking for someone too, like I was. I had never had a homosexual experience, and quite frankly, never considered one. I can't tell you exactly what made me “discover” my feelings for other women, but it was evident. And I didn't want to ignore it. She brought me to a gay bar, where, over the past 2 1/2 years I have spent my life. I have dated various women there, and ended up dating someone very seriously. I moved in with her after 3 months of dating, and lived with her for about four months. I was ABSOLUTELY convinced that I was gay. The Bible was wrong; I even found myself searching for books on the acceptance of Christianity and homosexuality.

During this period of my life, I cared for no one but myself. I did drugs (cocaine, XTC, pot, mushrooms), did a considerable amount of cigarette smoking, drank continuously. I was so depressed. I was so anxious. And I was so away from God.

I don't know if it was the people praying for me, or God Himself, reaching out to me in His mercy, but one day I had decided to leave the lifestyle - and the club, which I had made my home. I knew EVERYONE there, and we were all a “family.” I decided that on that night, I would bring my girlfriend to the bar and tell her that I could not see her anymore. I proceeded to get very drunk, knowing that I couldn't handle it sober. And, I sat down with her in a small booth in the back of the restaurant. There, I told her that I could not see her anymore, and that I needed time to think. This was one of the scariest things that I had ever done in my life. I was giving up my lover, my “family” and all of my friends…and I had to trust God…but would he deliver me?

Tears streaming down both of our faces, I could not believe, at that moment, what I was hearing. The gay bar doubled as a dance club on Saturday nights, and it was a Saturday. Out of haze, in the midst of my drunkenness, I heard the Jars of Clay song, belting through the speakers, melting my heart:

Lift me up, when I'm falling...

Life me up, I'm weak and I'm dying...

Lift me up, I need you to hold me...

Lift me up, to keep me from drowning again...

God came to me that night. God heard me, even in my wretched sin. God heard me plead for the life I once knew, and He came to me that night, in the form of a song, bolting through me like lightning. Since then, I have never been the same.

I can proudly say, now, that I have a wonderful relationship with a Christian man. We encourage each other all the time in Christ. For a long time after all of this occurred, I struggled continuously with my lust for women. I truly believe that it was I choice I MADE to bring this sin into my life, and now I am paying the consequences for lost and loved friends, a woman who I hurt very badly due to my selfishness, and lust. Yes, I do still lust, but God is in control! When I feel this way, I PRAY. When I don't feel that way, I pray. And, I can honestly say, that God HAS supplied all of my needs. Trust me friends, homosexuality is not your answer. Trust in the Lord, and he will deliver you, like he delivered me."   - Joycelyn. age 22

Who Is Jesus To You?

As some of you who follow my Facebook page know, my son was playing with this toy a couple of weeks ago.  I asked him who it was, and he said, "Jesus!".  This is his impression of who Jesus is!  I thought that was pretty interesting, and I started to think...

Jesus wants to be our everything, but often our perception of what He is like is often incorrect or incomplete.  Many of us grow up with incorrect assumptions of who God is.  I think I could safely assume that many of us fall into this category.  Jesus wants to be everything to us, but we often don't let Him in that close.  We surrender our lives to Him, but so often many of us want to keep just that one small thing to ourselves.  Guess what?  Jesus wants that, too!

Who is Jesus to you?

He wants to be your Healer, Sustainer, Protector, Strength, Deliverer, Savior, Lord, Counselor, Friend, Life Giver, Comforter, Redeemer, among countless other things.  If you have a need in your life that is unfulfilled, He wants to fill it!  He is (whether it seems like it, or not) the only one who can! 

• What is that one part of your life that you keep holding back from Him?
• What is that one area of your life that you keep turning to people, food, drugs, alcohol, shopping, gossiping, worry, TV, etc. for instead of giving it to Him?
• What area in your life do you continually find yourself "stuck"?
• What are you too ashamed to tell anyone?  Even your spouse?

Jesus wants you to see Him as the one who can fill all of these needs.  He's the only one who truly can!  He knows what you've been through.  He knows what you're going through right now.  He knows all of the thoughts that run through your mind as you are trying to fall asleep at night.  HE KNOWS EVERYTHING! 

How wonderful a thought it is to know that Jesus is the only one who truly knows every detail of your life (past, present and future), and He still wants you to turn to Him.  He won't reject you.  He wants to have a relationship with you that's closer than anything you've ever experienced!  People will always let you down.  Jesus will never let you down.  He loves you and knows of every hair on your head.  Turn to Him and give Him everything!  He's waiting for you to finally give Him everything.  Even that small thing that you would just rather keep to yourself, instead!

Jesus, thank you that You want to be everything in our lives.  You deserve to be everything!  You never change.  You will always love me, no matter how bad of a day I have.  Thank you for loving me despite everything I have done against You in my life.  Thank you for forgiving me.  You are holy and just, and I love you!

My Path To Freedom (part 3 of 3)

This post is part 3 of 3. If you didn't read the first post, click HERE to start at the beginning...

What should a Christian do when in the middle of this type of battle? I thought I’d better mention, in case you’re wondering, that this is not something that I struggle with every day. Most days, it’s not even a thought. That wasn’t always the case, though. I have learned that there are several things that I need to know and do to fight this. I am still in the process of learning this one, but I have come up with a few concrete answers that have helped me. These are the steps that I have taken over and over again:

Confess this to God. He already knows about this, but you need to talk to Him about it. For a very long time, I didn’t do this. I knew that God already knew about everything, but I felt so much shame. I was too ashamed to talk about it. When I started talking to Him about it, the shame started to lessen.

Pour your heart out to God. He needs to be your best friend. He should be the one you lean on. If you are not born again, you need to be! None of this is going to do any good if you are not born again. God loves you and wants you to turn your life over to Him. Otherwise, you will spend eternity in Hell when you die. I don’t want that for you, and God ESPECIALLY doesn’t want that for you. If you want to read more about this most important decision that you will ever make, please read my post, “What Does It Mean To Be Born Again?” Why am I referring to my previous blog posts? I just really desire to see people be saved and receive healing and freedom in their lives! My blog is the place where I have all of that information written down where I hope people will find it. It’s only by God’s grace and glory that I have this blog in the first place! I’m fully convinced that no one would ever read this blog if it wasn’t for God’s anointing!

Put God first. God needs to be first concerning everything in your life! When you put Him first, everything else will start to line up. When He is not first in your life, it will start to get out of balance and chaotic. Trust me, I know! God desires your whole heart. When you put Him first, you will stop looking to other things or people to fill you up. No one but Jesus can fill you up. I’ve tried to make myself happy and feel “whole” with many other people and things. Nothing is going to work, unless you are looking to Him to complete you. That’s the way that He designed us!

Tell someone! Tell your husband, wife, pastor, Christian counselor, or a mature Christian friend. (Make sure that this person has been following Jesus for a while, and that they have a solid relationship with Him while being grounded in their biblical views.) Find someone you trust with whom you can talk about your fears, challenges and successes. Find someone who will hold you accountable!

Know who you are in Christ! I always considered these homosexual thoughts to be part of me (even if I wished it wasn’t). I just thought that it was something that I had to deal with. Guess what? Since I am a born again Christian, my identity is in Jesus! This means that having those thoughts is not the real me. It’s not who I am anymore! This has been a slow process for me to really “get”. I understand this with my head, but my heart is still sometimes catching up. I would encourage everyone who doesn’t know who they are in Christ to find scriptures of who they are in Christ and confess them daily! Sometimes you may need to do it several times a day! You won’t believe them at first, and it will seem like you’re just trying to convince yourself of something that’s not true. God’s Word will start to sink into your heart, and you will begin to realize who you really are! Check out my posts “My Identity In Christ” and “Confessing God’s Word” if you like.

Be very careful about what you read, look at, and listen to. Don’t think that you can just thoughtlessly go through life without “filtering” what you are exposed to. All of the decisions we make have spiritual consequences. My life is living proof of that! I must mention that there was a point when I would see something that I didn’t want to, and I would become so fearful of where my thoughts were going to lead me again. I realize that you can’t always control everything that you see. You don’t need to become fearful about it, just wise about your decisions and turn everything over to God! Kevin and I are both very careful about the movies that we watch. We also have an internet accountability program that we both use. It’s called Covenant Eyes, and it’s been a good decision for us to use. (Plus, it will come in handy when our children get older and are using the computer!) On a side note, this is why it is so important to guard the hearts and eyes of our children. The movies and TV shows that our children watch are teaching them values! Are they God's values, though? Their young minds don't have the filter that we have to realize that everything they see is not ok. Their sense of what is “normal” is being formed with everything they see. As our children get older, it will be so much more difficult to monitor these things. We have to be the ones to guard their hearts, because no one else will. The world will never guard their hearts.

Fight with God's Word! Don’t just try to ignore the thoughts that Satan puts in your head. Use the armor that God gives you, and fight back with the Word of God! Otherwise, this will never end. For example, I may start having thoughts such as, “I’m always going to have to deal with this. What would people think if they knew? I’m so overwhelmed and tired of fighting this.” This is what I need to say in response. “I am a new creature in Christ! I am a believer, and the light of the Gospel shines in my mind! I have the mind of Christ! God has not given me a spirit of fear; but of power, love, and a sound mind!” Again, this goes back to knowing who you are in Christ.

Don't ever give up!  If you have a bad day and feel like you have failed, don’t give up! Tomorrow is a new day. Ask God to forgive you, repent, and move on. God does not expect perfection, but He does expect us to stay in communion with Him no matter what. Don’t let Satan condemn you. A wise friend reminded me tonight, that Satan will try to push you into sin and then condemn you when you get there. Don’t let him have the satisfaction of running you over. If you fall, just get back up. JUST GET BACK UP! The worst thing you can do is feel defeated, overwhelmed and give up. Just get back up and start again.

Remember that you're not alone in this.  Don’t ever think that you are alone. This has been a very important one for me! I always thought I was the only one who dealt with this, and that kept me in bondage for so long! It was only when I was with a group of women one day and one of them (a friend of mine) disclosed that she has dealt with some similar thoughts at times in her life. I was blown away (that’s an understatement), because I thought I was the only one. She had no idea of my situation. Her confession was the beginning of my healing. Her brave confession was the beginning of my freedom. I hope that my confession in these posts can be the beginning of healing and freedom for someone else! That has been my sincere prayer since I sat down to start writing this.

I wasn’t sure if I would get many comments on this post, so I decided to have an e-mail address just for my blog. If you have any questions or personal comments that you don’t particularly wish to publicly post, you can e-mail me at amy.walkinginfreedom@gmail.com

I believe that God is going to touch someone through these posts. I don’t know who or how, but I know that this is one of the reasons that He wanted me to write this! If someone you know may want to read this, please feel free to pass it on. Thank you, for those of you that have stayed with me throughout these posts. This was very difficult, at times, for me to write. Most of my life, I have been quite a reserved person, so doing something like this is not the norm for me! I know that God has given me the grace and favor to do this.

Thank you, Jesus, for giving me the words to say. Thank you that all things work together for good for those who love you and are called according to Your purpose! You are my Lord and Savior, and I can’t imagine where I would be if it wasn’t for You protecting and leading me along the way. I love you!